Morales E, Horn R, Pastor L M, Santamaría L, Pallarés J, Zuasti A, Ferrer C, Canteras M
Department of Cellular Biology, Medical School, University of Murcia, Spain.
Histol Histopathol. 2004 Apr;19(2):445-55. doi: 10.14670/HH-19.445.
In this study, we examined the age-related changes on morphometric parameters and ultrastructure of seminiferous tubules, and on the expression of extracellular matrix proteins in lamina propria of Syrian hamsters. A significant decrease in the percentage of normal tubules and an increase in the percentage of hypospermatogenic and arrested maturation tubules was observed with aging. Aged animals showed a decrease in tubular diameter, tubular lumen, seminiferous epithelium volume and total tubular volume. However, the total length of seminiferous tubules was significantly increased with aging. The most important ultrastructural changes with aging were the thickening of the lamina propria, the presence of diverse abnormalities in the spermiogenesis process, degeneration of germ cells, and vacuolization and flattening of Sertoli cells showing abundant lipofucsin droplets and residual bodies. Laminin immunoreactivity was found along the lamina propria of seminiferous tubules both in young and aged animals. Fibronectin immunoreactivity was found along the lamina propria and blood vessels. Both laminin and fibronectin total volume of immunostaining per testis was increased in aged hamsters. In conclusion, the age-related changes in seminiferous tubules of hamster include: a decrease in tubular width and an increase in tubular length; widening of the lamina propria caused by a more extensive connective matrix between the peritubular cells and the basal membrane; and a strong disarrangement of the seminiferous epithelium, including germ cell degeneration and important alterations in both spermiogenesis and Sertoli cell structure.
在本研究中，我们检测了叙利亚仓鼠生精小管的形态计量学参数、超微结构以及固有层细胞外基质蛋白表达随年龄的变化。随着年龄增长，正常小管的百分比显著降低，生精功能低下和成熟停滞小管的百分比增加。老年动物的管径、管腔、生精上皮体积和总小管体积均减小。然而，生精小管的总长度随年龄增长显著增加。衰老过程中最重要的超微结构变化包括固有层增厚、精子发生过程中出现各种异常、生殖细胞变性以及支持细胞空泡化和平坦化，支持细胞内可见大量脂褐素滴和残余小体。在年轻和老年动物的生精小管固有层均发现层粘连蛋白免疫反应性。在固有层和血管处发现纤连蛋白免疫反应性。老年仓鼠每个睾丸的层粘连蛋白和纤连蛋白免疫染色总体积均增加。总之，仓鼠生精小管随年龄的变化包括：管径减小和长度增加；由于管周细胞与基膜之间结缔组织基质增多导致固有层增宽；生精上皮严重紊乱，包括生殖细胞变性以及精子发生和支持细胞结构的重要改变。
